Purchase cards (e.g., gift cards, pre-paid credit or phone cards, medical care cards, etc.) are becoming more and more popular today as the use of traditional currency (i.e., cash, checks, etc.) is fading. Society is discovering that purchase cards are easier to manage than loose change or paper money. Today, purchase cards may even be ordered over the Internet and delivered straight to your house. Also, giving gifts using purchase cards arguably seems more thoughtful than just providing cash. In sum, the convenience of using a purchase cards has resulted in retailers and users finding new ways to use the purchase cards. Accordingly, millions of cards are being manufactured and delivered to customers demanding such cards. It appears this demand is only increasing.
Because the purchase cards are essentially treated as cash, extreme security measures surround the ordering, manufacturing, packaging, and delivery of such cards. As with any other sensitive type of transaction, the more people involved in the process and/or touching the purchase cards, the higher the threat of a security breach. Maintaining or improving the security measures surrounding the purchase cards is necessary to keep retailers and banking institutions interested in accepting the cards.
Also, to make the purchase cards an attractive alternative to traditional currency, the manufacturing, packing, and delivery must not only be done securely, but in a cost-effective and timely manner. Thus, the turnaround time from a user placing an order to receipt of a purchase card must be similar to the time it takes to acquire traditional currency.